When you download a zipped file, you need to extract it to view the content. When you send attachments by email, you are used to compressing and archiving them first before sending them out.
For Mac users, we all know and use the default Archive utility, a built-in app to archive and unarchive files but with one major drawback: it doesn’t handle big files well and it doesn’t support all types of file formats.
Is there a better solution? Enter BetterZip!
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What is BetterZip?
BetterZip is an app that does archiving and unarchiving professionally. It’s a third-party app well-integrated with macOS.
It works well with over 30 archive formats. Even in the archive files, BetterZip allows you to preview the content inside. Another great feature is you can secure your files with AES-256 encryption.
Simply put, BetterZip gives you a lot of imagination and space to deal with files. Let’s see how it works.
How Does BetterZip Work?
Once you install BetterZip, you can find its main interface below. Quite simple and clean!
There are three areas. The left panel is the source of files area, which shows where files come from. The middle part is the main area, where you can drag and drop your files that need to compress or extract. The right side is the information panel.
1. Supported File Formats
BetterZip claims it can open and extract over 30 archive formats. They are not just dealing with some common formats, but also many other uncommon formats, like epub, CBZ/CBR e-books, GZip, BZip2, WIM, etc. Check this screenshot for a full list of supported file formats.
Even for epub files, BetterZip allows you to directly edit them, WOW! Also, it can extract images and sounds from a PDF or flash file, which is another nice bonus.
2. Data Encryption
These days we all send files by email or upload them to the cloud for backup. When you are dealing with sensitive information, you might feel not so secure.
Another great feature BetterZip offers is protecting your data with strong AES-256 encryption. This means when you compress and zip your files, you are able to use the encryption method to protect your information. Check the screenshot below.
What’s more, BetterZip has a password generator and can suggest strong passwords if you need it.
3. Customization
There are a lot of other features in BetterZip, and it also allows you to do your own customization, such as the Presets setting.
With different presets, you can quickly choose how you want to deal with the archives. After you choose one, the app will just go with the command you set before.
BetterZip is able to integrate with macOS Finder, allowing you to put all your presets in Finder’s toolbar. That means you can archive your files with one click, even without opening the app.
In Advanced setting, you can customize further to make BetterZip more efficient for you.
Last but not least, you can also use Applescript to script the app and make it part of your workflow. It works well with tools like Alfred, LaunchBar, DropZone, and Hazel.
Price and Platform Compatibility
As of now, BetterZip is only available for macOS.
You can download a trial version from its official website for free. For the paid version, the cost per license is $24.95. It can be used in 5 Macs for non-commercial use. A 30-day money-back guarantee is provided, with no questions asked.
You can also try and get the app from Setapp, which has a free 7-day trial and then $9.99 per month.
Is BetterZip Worth it?
If you are just dealing with archiving or extracting files a few times per month, it may not be worth investing $25 in an app like BetterZip.
But if you work a lot with archiving files, or have a need for encrypting archives, BetterZip will be the app you’ll need and it’s inexpensive.
Wrapping Up
After going through most of the features in BetterZip, I found it a really powerful archiving tool. The app offers a lot of customization room to make it work for you. I love this app and recommend it.
